I did find the story funny at first. But Chicago already comes with this reputation, and certain things just reinforce it. I am sure that there are rude or intense people at NYU and Columbia, but they don't have reputations for it. It does help to have an idea of what people at the school are actually like, but I am not so sure that ASW is the best place to see people-when they are on their best behavior. I tend to think that people are more frank on this board than they are at ASW, when they have a job to do.

Overall, NYU and Columbia students online have been incredibly cool. I've pretty much totally ruled Chicago out after reading that story about the Dean, and don't really care how people perform at a staged ASW weekend. No offense, but way too many Chicago Students don't seem terribly happy there, including Freely gives leave to amend. Some others seem really defensive when you ask about their school or downright rude (I do appreciate your response though, freely, I don't mean you here). I really don't want to spend too much time on that. It was bothersome because I like Chicago's reputation otherwise, if only the rest of its reputation didn't seem so damn accurate.

I'll probably just have to wait and see with Columbia. I do keep getting more and more impressed with NYU as I read about it. There are some insanely good professors there!

Wait, you donít want to base your decision on a staged ASW, so instead youíre basing it on a third-person account of a single event that occurred at a staged ASW? hmmm...

Wait for money offers, visit schools (not during ASW, if you must), talk (in person) with actual students, and consider real data (Leiterís blog is excellent). There are plenty of reasons to choose NYU or Columbia over Chicago. Donít base your decision on an exaggerated retelling of a flippant remark and a few LDS posts.

Disclosure: Iím a deferred UofC student who turned down money at Columbia and NYU to defer. I was at the ASW, by the way, and I think the TLS poster blew it out of proportion. His account of the story is a bit hyperbolic.

Quick word of encouragement: I scored 10 points higher on my September retake after a lower-than-average June perfromance. I was ready for the June test, but I psyched myself out. I only took five or so practice tests between June and Sept. I wanted to study more for the Sept. test, but I didn't want to get burned out again.

Moral of the story: If you were ready but under-performed, you might want to take an LSAT breather before re-studying, and, even then, you might want to take it easy.

Quick word of encouragement: I scored 10 points higher on my September retake after a lower-than-average June perfromance. I was ready for the June test, but I psyched myself out. I only took five or so practice tests between June and Sept. I wanted to study more for the Sept. test, but I didn't want to get burned out again.

Moral of the story: If you were ready but under-performed, you might want to take an LSAT breather before re-studying, and, even then, you might want to take it easy.

It's like reading Ulysses for the first time and realizing that it's not "literature" in the way you would expect.

You're not joking! I just finished Ulysses, and it about killed me. I wish I could say I enjoyed it... I quickly read The Old Man and the Sea to flush the stream of consciousness out of my system. And I'm now reading McCullough's 1776. I highly recommend both it and John Adams.